Violent Delights
by yesfangirlingismylife
Summary: Tobias and Caleb, best of friends. Caleb and Tris, closest of siblings. Tobias and Tris, most awkward of people. Join the graceless pair through a one-shot that tells their indifference, at first, then love. Their teenage lives are hard enough to navigate, let alone when you have a bit of a crush on your best friend's sister. Will their ends will be violent or delightful?


Violent Delights

* * *

 _(All poems by me) -reese_

* * *

 **9**

When Tobias was a freshman in high school, he became friends with a boy named Caleb Prior. Well, more so, Caleb became friends with Tobias. Caleb was the quiet kid at lunch who sat alone, not really social. But along came Tobias, asking Caleb to come and sit with him and his friends. Caleb was unsure, considering he was popular; yet, he also heard he was kind and considerate. He was that kind of guy that everybody liked. Not because he was hot and the star Lacrosse player, but because he was always nice. The attractiveness didn't hurt, though.

The first time Caleb invited Tobias over for a casual little bonfire, it was fun. Enjoyable. They camped outside and made s'mores in the backyard. Occasionally though, Caleb's little sister would come out and make a delightful chocolatey sandwich for herself with strawberry marshmallows. However, that was the only thing he knew about her. She kept to herself, earbuds always in, up to the maximum volume. As an eighth grader, she was quite mature. Most of them acted like a bunch annoying pricks, but not Beatrice Prior. She did not say a single word the entire night. While Tobias and Caleb sat on the ground by the fire, she sat on the opposite. She built her sandwich with a strawberry marshmallow and her journal and pen at her side. Tobias could barely read the label, but he figured it out that it'd said "POEMS" in not-nice, big, curly, messy handwriting. Tobias nodded along and talked and had a fun time with Caleb throughout the night, but kept continuously looking up to see what Tris had been doing. He was curious, and she seemed curious as well.

She noticed his glances, and when she looked up and met his eyes, she winked. Ballsy. Tobias was surprised. So surprised, that it reddened his cheeks. A middle schooler was making him nervous. He couldn't believe himself. He looked down, embarrassed, but then a smirk grew. When he looked back up at her, it was like their little moment had never happened. She was eating her s'mores sandwich and writing a poem, he presumed, since her pen was moving at a fast pace across the page. She looked up, smiled, shook her head, and looked back down. They continued this pattern until she eventually got up and walked away, smile plastered on her face.

 _These violent delights have violent ends,_ he thought. _But these are hardly delights._

 _These are smiles._

 _Nothing more._

 _Nothing less._

 **10**

Tobias's sophomore year and Tris's freshman.

Caleb and Tobias hung just about every weekend, Tobias practically living there. And since summer was coming up, Tobias would be there 99% of the time. Tobias convinced Caleb to join lacrosse, and Caleb ended up not being too bad at it. With extra practice and effort, he was a starter his sophomore year. Tobias and Caleb were closer than ever.

Tobias later found out that Tris and Caleb were only a mere ten months apart, which made Tobias only two months older than her. The timing with school interfered though, so she started school a year after Caleb. He felt less terrible for a having a crush on his best friend's little sister.

It was nothing serious though.

He had girlfriends. He had fun. But when he was around Tris, that didn't seem to be the case any longer. They would rarely even talk; and if they did, it was small talk. Tobias thought that Tris felt the same way, because if they were short with each other, they knew it couldn't be a feasible option to be with that person.

She had boyfriends. She had fun. But when Tobias was around her, that still seemed to be the case. She was carefree and loving it. She didn't want him so badly as to reserve herself in hopes of being with him.

No, no. That was not the case. Well, it wouldn't be until her junior year.

No, those violent delights had not yet reached their violent ends.

 **11**

There was a snowstorm the night Tobias Eaton decided he had _true_ feelings for Beatrice Prior.

Small town Illinois often had snowstorms. Three feet of snow meant two things: No school and no leaving the house. Wherever people were, they were stuck. Caleb happened to be out with Susan at a local pizzeria when all of the heavy snow came down. He had to stay the night there. Tobias was at his best friend's yet again since Caleb told him he'd be leaving the pizza place in five minutes, when it really ended up being twenty. And in that twenty minutes, the storm hit. It snowed three feet at around eight o'clock, one more at nine, and one more at ten.

Caleb had called and said the pizzeria was generous and would of course let him, Susan, and the rest of the customers stay the night. Natalie and Andrew were at a Psychology Conference all the way in Chicago, so they stayed two nights there, where they were snow-free.

Natalie also called Tris and asked about everything. If everyone was home, if the storm was bad, and if she was safe. Normal mom things.

She told her mother that Tobias was there and that Caleb and Susan were at the pizzeria. Of which, Natalie responded that she would call him after.

Then Tris told her that Tobias was about to leave, and to which Natalie's response was: "Beatrice Prior, I don't care if you have to board up the doors and tackle him, you will _not_ let him leave. It's dangerous out there, and Tobias is practically my own."

Tris and Tobias made do. They sat on the floor with hot cocoa and popcorn at their feet, controllers in their hands, grateful for the electricity still working. Tris and Tobias played Dr. Mario at eleven o'clock at night, closer than they'd ever been, sitting criss-cross and knees touching.

"You little bastard!" Tris yelled, angrily pushing buttons as she smiled. "Well… Take that!"

He gasped. "I… You… You shit on me. You gave me extra blocks. You rat bastard."

She beat her final virus, and then raised her arms in the air.

"I've met—I've met my match," Tobias said. He reached out his hand, then Tris shook it. "Amazing."

"Super Mario 3 marathon?" Tris asked.

He grinned. "Hell yes."

—

Later that night, when they beat Bowser, they fell asleep right there on the floor. They fell straight back, like sticks, but found their way to each other by three. Tris laid her head on his chest, and his arm wrapped around her frame.

When he woke up, he smiled. Tobias knew, though, that he couldn't stay like this.

 _These violent delights have violent ends._

He scooped her up bridal-style, then set her on the couch. She groaned, then reached for him. She pulled his shirt, dragging him down to the space left on the couch beside her. She was on the edge, and him on the inside. They faced each other, and Tobias looked at her lovingly. She was semi-awake after she subconsciously pulled him down. They smiled at each other, and Tobias reached up, then stroked her jaw.

"Good night," she whispered, and she was out.

 _These violent delights have violent ends._

 _These violent delights have violent ends._

 _These violent delights have violent ends._

But he still couldn't bring himself to pull away.

 **11 cont.**

Giggles and smoke filled the lungs of Tobias.

He walked into Caleb's house since he knew he wouldn't be home; he texted him saying he could go on in and that he'd be twenty or thirty minutes late. His parents wouldn't be home and he said Tris probably wouldn't either.

But she was. He knew she was as soon as he walked in the door. Their home was one floor with a basement, so it wasn't hard to know she was there with her blaring music and smoke and yelling of poems.

He knocked on the door, but there was no answer, so he went in.

She laid there on a soft bean bag, journal lying on her lap, pen in her left hand and blunt in the other. She wore a giant tee that read "The Beatles" and a pair of leggings. On her head was a ball cap with the logo of the Chicago Cubs. On her feet were knee-high socks, polka dotted with the face of Edgar Allan Poe. Those were her favorite.

"Tobias!" she shouted excitedly.

He coughed. The room was filled with smoke. "Tris." He stepped inside and opened the two windows she had in her room, hoping it would air out.

"Tobias!" She remained in her bean bag. "Want a hit?"

He pondered, then refused. "No."

She shrugged. "Fine."

"I didn't even know you smoked," he said, sitting down in the bag next to her.

She shrugged. "Not often. Smoking is terrible for your lungs. I usually make brownies, but we were out of mix, and I didn't want to go to the store."

He laughed. "Alright, Tris."

Tris giggled and tried to hand him the pot. "C'mon. Let's have fun."

He gave her a disapproving look.

She gave him the cutest smile he'd ever seen, and he knew right then that that was an offer he couldn't refuse. Tobias skeptically looked at her, then took it.

—

Tobias slunk to the ground, laughing for no particular reason.

"Dude," Tris said, "somebody stole our Captain Crunch."

"Beatrice," he declared, suddenly serious. "We need to find out who stole—who stole our Captain Crunch!"

She was excited, then jumped. "Let's go on an adventure!"

He stood ecstatically. "To find the person who stole our Captain Crunch!"

They ran into her garage, and Tobias hopped on Caleb's bike, and Tris on hers. They pedaled at a reasonable speed down the middle of the quiet street. Their hands were raised in the air, pedaling fast as can be.

A car slowed down just in front of them. Tris yelled, "Can I help—Caleb!"

The window to the shitty car rolled down. "Beatrice, what in the living _hell_ are you doing? And with Tobias, nonetheless?" he said calmly.

"Somebody stole our Captain Crunch," Tobias explained. "So we are going to find out who it was! Or to the store to buy more. Either way, Mr. Crunch will be avenged!"

Tris laughed, about collapsing.

Caleb got out of the car, ushered his sister and best friend in the back, then put the bikes on the bike rack.

They'd only ridden about a mile, so it wasn't too long of a drive. Caleb didn't say anything as he drove home, but he was constantly looking back in rear-view mirror.

Tobias and Tris were sitting close together, whispering to each other. Caleb didn't know what they were saying, but he say the look in their blood red eyes as they looked at each other. They were high, but Caleb finally took note in how their eyes looked, and he saw affection.

And that made him uneasy

because he knew right then

that their love would come

to a violent end.

 **12**

It was the day of Tobias and Caleb's graduation party. It was at her own house, and, naturally, they had combined parties.

Tris was not comfortable socializing, so she mostly sat at a table with no one else present. All of Caleb's nice-looking lacrosse friends were there too, and she wanted to shoot herself in the foot.

She saw him—Tobias—socializing over with some of his friends, and Tris couldn't help but stare. He was gorgeous. If she went into detail though, she might never come out.

Oh, how she loved him.

But he would be off to college, and she would be a senior, and he would meet college girls, and they would go separate ways.

But it would be okay. She always was. She would have other boyfriends and she would get over him. In fact, she was already working on it. She was getting over him little by little every single day.

He wasn't gone yet, though, so that made her goal slightly less possible.

She got up to go and get another drink of punch. She couldn't concentrate on anything but him, and she hated herself for it.

Suddenly, she felt an arm on her shoulder just as she was about to walk away from the table.

She turned around and saw him, and immediately, she smiled. "Tobias."

"Hey, Trissy."

Yes, indeed, they'd gotten closer over the past year, primarily due to the fact that Tobias was sick of third-wheeling with Caleb and Susan, so he usually asked Tris to tag along to wherever they were going.

"So, are you excited?" Tris asked, walking over to the swing set in her backyard.

They sat on the swings, not really swinging. "Yes and no," he said. "I'm excited to go on new adventures, but I'm also going to miss you." A pause. "And Caleb and your parents and stuff," he nervously laughed.

She nodded. "Yeah."

He cleared his throat. "So… are you excited for your senior year?"

Tris shrugged. "One year closer to leaving and being able to be myself."

He smiled. "I know what you mean."

"So—," Tris began, but was soon cut off.

"Tobias, my man!" a Lacrosse player shouted.

He gave a pained smile. "Hey, man, how you doing?"

"Good," he said flatly, and Tobias's friend pulled him from Tris. Tobias turned around and gave her a sorrowful look before walking away.

Tris nodded to herself and thought, _Good conversation._

She stayed on the swing set, abhorring herself for still caring about him. She looked down at her cup of punch, swirling it around in its cup. She felt someone breeze by her, and there was Tobias yet again, sitting on the swing set.

He smiled. "Sorry."

"It's fine," she said smiling. "You should probably socialize. You know, it _is_ your graduation party."

"And I _am_ socializing." Tobias leaned in, and poked at her nose. "With you." He gave her a cute smirk, but didn't pull away.

Her eyes traveled down to his lips. They were only a couple inches apart, and he leaned in a little, just the slightest bit. She leaned forward, just the slightest bit too, closed her eyes, and she pulled away.

"I'm"—she cleared her throat—"going to, ah, get some more—some more punch."

Her cup was almost full though.

Tobias didn't follow until a couple of seconds later. When she arrived at the table, she was immediately swept away. She quickly set down her punch on the table. He grabbed her hand and took her downstairs to the basement. She couldn't think. She followed him as her heart raced through her chest. They rounded the corner of the stairs. The basement was filled with foosball and video games for both Tris and Caleb, but that didn't matter. Nothing did.

Just as the corner was rounded, he pressed her against the wall and kissed her. She was in utter shock, but she also wasn't. Her mind was saying no, but her body, well, it wasn't exactly disagreeing. His hands encased her jawline, while hers grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. They breathed heavily, and they both smelled of punch.

Tobias's favorite thing from then on would be that punch.

Tris wrapped her arms around his neck, wishing they could stay there forever.

But they couldn't.

Everything must come to an end.

And these ends

Are usually violent

So they cannot pretend

That these beginnings

Are usually delightful

And though their feelings

Are rightful

Eventually

They will turn spiteful

And unsurprisingly

Their violent delight

Would finally

Become

A violent end

 **Life**

Tris unpacked the boxes with great energy. The first thing she unpacked was her giant speaker, and then she pumped music throughout the empty house. Through the speakers was playing Twenty-One Pilots's Air Catcher. She jumped and danced around in and out of the house as she carried boxes.

Tris wore a flannel, tank top, shorts, no shoes, and a bun on her head.

She then danced and whirled outside, bending over to pick up the next box.

Somebody honked, and she turned around.

Tris's eyebrows creased and her face became red. "What the—!"

The car parked beside the curb, and somebody got out. She didn't recognize the man who got out. Not until he raised his sunglasses and set them on his head. As soon as she saw his eyes, she knew who it was.

 _Tobias motherfucking Eaton,_ she thought to herself. A smile made its way on her face as she rolled her eyes.

"Trissy Prior, is that you?" he asked as he walked up her driveway by the truck.

"Tobias Eaton, is that you?" she laughed. She opened her arms, and he his. She didn't want to admit that she still felt safe in his arms.

When they pulled back, he grinned. "You look…"

She waited for him to finish.

"Ravishing," he laughed.

She laughed too. "And you look… Spiff."

They smiled and stared at each other for a long time.

"So you moving back into your parents' old house?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I taught over at Springfield for a year, but when they said they were moving to Georgia and selling the house… Well, this was the perfect opportunity to get back in touch with my roots, you know?"

He nodded. "So you're teaching here in Mount Auburn?"

She grinned. "Yes. Advanced Literature. But enough about me. What about you? Are you Mount Auburn's town drunk, like I always joked you would be?"

He playfully glared at Tris. "No, actually. I happen to be the Physics teacher there at MAHS."

She groaned. "I have to be around you all day at school _again_?"

He continued to glare. "It gets better," he began. "I live just down the street."

She smirked. "This is going to be just like high school, isn't it? Always hanging around my house. Stealing my food. Making fun of me."

"Plus make fun of your Poe socks. And your terrible puns about them."

She gave him a shove. "You miss my puns."

He looked away, then back at her. "Yeah. I kind of do."

"So," he continued, smile right back again, "do you need help moving your boxes and stuff?"

She stared at the boxes. She still had a long way to go.

"No," she said, "you were probably on your way somewhere anyhow."

"Just to the gym. But this is a workout. You know… lifting boxes and stuff."

She laughed. "Really, it's fine, Tobias."

He rolled his eyes and made his way up the ramp to the truck.

She gazed up at him, closed her eyes, thanked God for whatever strings He pulled, and made her way to the truck.

Their delightful violence

Was nothing

But pure innocence

For all they wanted

Was to find love

And not something

Cursed from above

For their ends

Would not be violent

And their heads

Would be quiet

Because they knew

They'd be okay

Since what they went through

Helped them prepare

For this day


End file.
